The invention relates to a putting practice device. The invention also relates to a putting practice method using said device.
Numerous kinds of devices are known in the art to practice putting. Said devices are mainly divided in three groups.
Group I Putting practice devices essentially provided with a sight and allowing a golfer to place his head vertically above the ball while putting. See U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,677,261, 5,131,659, 5,294,124 and 5,443,264, and Japanese patent application no. 20001019528.
Group II Putting practice devices essentially provided with a ramp and allowing to guide the putter head along a desired putting line for a golf ball. See U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,866,645, 3,411,789, 3,806,133, 3,857,570, 4,129,301, 4,153,255, 4,437,669, 4,634,131, 4,765,625, 5,072,943, 5,150,904, 5,152,534, 5,246,233, 5,362,057, 5,393,065, 5,437,458, 5,586,945, 5,776,007 and 6,019,685.
Group III Putting practice devices provided at once with a sight and a ramp and allowing a golfer to place his head vertically above the ball while putting and to execute an appropriate pendulum movement with his putter and hit the ball while following the ramp. See U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,656,752, 4,927,153, 5,007,646 and 5,503,395. More particularly, in this last group, there is also a putting practice device further provided with a sight mounted on a tower. See U.S. Pat. No. 3,656,752.
None of the aforesaid documents discloses a device that allows a user (e.g. a golfer) to take a correct stance with respect to the ball and desired putting line for said ball, and simultaneously that allows to visually check whether or not said stance has been lost while executing a vertical pendulum movement to hit said ball along said putting line.
The applicant has now discovered a new putting practice device that allows to overcome drawbacks of the prior art devices. The applicant has also discovered a new method to practice putting that is simple and allows self-correction of errors in the stance and/or in the putting movement (putting stroke).
The present invention relates to a putting practice device comprising in combination:
a) a first member provided with a planar sliding surface against which the toe of a putter blade is slidable according to a vertical pendulum movement;
b) first means for maintaining said planar sliding surface on a ground defining a rolling surface for a golf ball, and maintaining said planar sliding surface substantially perpendicular to said rolling surface and substantially parallel to a putting line for said golf ball toward a target;
c) a second member comprising a portion defining a sight, said portion comprising at least one planar reflecting surface surrounding the sight, said planar reflecting surface being provided on top of a portion of said second member;
d) means allowing to substantially indicate the center of the sight; and
e) second means for positioning said sight above the putting line and the golf ball;
the eyes of a user being systematically positioned substantially perpendicular to the golf ball when said user has the toes of his feet substantially parallel to the sliding surface and substantially equidistant to the center of the sight, has the toe of the putter blade against said sliding surface, sees the golf ball through said sight and sees his face but not his eves in the planar reflecting surface.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, means allowing to substantially indicate the center of the sight may comprise at least one sight mark, more preferably a sight mark substantially at mid-width of said sight.
According to a particularly preferred embodiment, the invention relates to a device that allows the development of an almost perfect putting stroke.
According to another particularly preferred embodiment, the invention relates to a device that favors an active and permanent learning of an almost perfect putting stroke.
According to another particularly preferred embodiment, the invention relates to a device that favors the appropriate learning, the improvement and/or the correction of all golfers putting stroke.
According to another particularly preferred embodiment, the invention is intended to be used by experienced golfers or beginners.
According to another particularly preferred embodiment, the invention relates to a device that is pleasant and easy to use, and allows to quickly identify what is wrong with the user stance or putting movement and allows said user to correct it as quickly.
According to another particularly preferred embodiment, the invention relates to a device that can be adjusted to various kinds of putters.
According to another particularly preferred embodiment, the invention relates to a device that has visual marks allowing to practice the amplitude of the vertical pendulum movement and thereby the force of the stroke and velocity of the ball.
Advantageously, the first member may comprise a unitary member or several sub-members interconnected together by any appropriate means. Preferably, said first member may have opposite ends and a planar sliding surface. More preferably, said first member is a unitary member such as a plate.
Advantageously, first means may further comprise a support member having opposite ends, one end being connected to the first member, behind the sliding surface, the opposite end contacting the ground.
Advantageously, the second member may comprise a unitary member or several sub-members interconnected together by any appropriate means. More preferably, said second member comprise sub-members. One of said sub-member may be provided with the sight, another of said sub-member may be connected to the first member or first means.
Advantageously, second means comprises an extensible portion of the second member allowing to move the sight substantially perpendicular to the sliding surface and position it above the putting line. Preferably, said extensible portion is a telescopic portion. More preferably, said telescopic portion is of drawer type.
Advantageously, said sight may consist of a window provided in said second member. Preferably, said window is a rectangular window which may be more preferably divided into a odd number of smaller windows by an even number of strips, marks or members. Preferably, said strips, marks or members are substantially perpendicular to the sliding surface. Preferably, the sight mark may be aligned at the mid-width of a median smaller window. More preferably, said sight mark is substantially perpendicular to the sliding surface.
Advantageously, a top portion of the first member may be further provided with a set of distinctive marks providing information about the amplitude of the vertical pendulum movement of the putter blade.
The invention also relates to a method for practicing putting with a device as defined hereinbefore in accordance with the invention. This method comprises at least the following steps:
a) positioning a golf ball in the putting line and eventually positioning the sight above the ball and the putting line;
b) when a user is in a putting stance, placing the toe of the putter blade against the sliding surface of the first member;
c) positioning the toes of the feet of the user substantially parallel to the sliding surface of the first member and substantially equidistant from the center of the sight (preferably from the sight mark);
d) positioning the eyes of the user above the sight so as said user sees the ball through said sight and sees his face in the planar reflecting surface but not his eyes; and
e) according to a vertical pendulum movement, moving the putter blade backwardly and then forwardly to hit the golf ball while keeping the toe of the putter blade against the sliding surface and maintaining his eyes above the sight so as to see his face in the reflecting surface but not his eyes.